


The Velveteen Owl Ship

by Not_You



Category: Watchmen (Comic), Watchmen - All Media Types
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Time, M/M, Machines, Mental Health Issues, Multi, Post-Canon Fix-It, This is weird, Transformation, a boy and his ship, it's really hard to say, old fic, sort of, this is hard to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2017-08-11
Packaged: 2018-12-14 01:20:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11772495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: So someone asked for a fic about the Archimedes turning human and being in love with his creator, and this happened.  You're welcome?





	The Velveteen Owl Ship

He doesn't know why he's human. He just is, all of sudden on one chilly fall morning. He supposes it might have something to do with how lonely he is. He picks himself up off the concrete, and shivers. Being cold is very unpleasant, and there's nothing down here but old Nite Owl costumes. Shivering, naked and unashamed to be as smoothly round a man as he is a ship, he bolts up the stairs, hugging himself for warmth.

The upstairs is a mystery to him. He passes through the kitchen with some vague knowledge that food can be made here. He has no idea whether or not he's hungry, and decides not to complicate things. He opens a few doors that don't have Dan behind them, and then finally comes to the right one. Dan and Walter are both asleep, and there's just enough space between them for Archie to crawl in and close his huge, wide eyes in what he supposes must be sleep. He decides he likes it very much.

Dan wakes up to an urgent whisper. "Daniel."

"Mmrrzz?"

"Intruder in bed. Obviously insane."

"Walter, if you're seeing things again..."

"Not seeing things. Don't need pills." He prods Dan hard. "Possibly a relative of yours. Wake. Up."

Dan finally sits up, and blinks. Lying between them is someone who could be the little brother he never had. He's never see him before, but there is a sense of profound recognition, and a wave of tenderness sweeps over him. "I think it's okay."

"Okay?" Dan ignores the return of Rorschach's voice, since the therapist said calling attention to it would just make it worse. "Who is this?"

The pronoun makes Dan want to hug him. "I have no idea, but I feel like I know him."

"There's certainly a resemblance." He cautiously pokes their guest with one bony finger.

"Walter?" Archie opens wide yellow eyes that are too big for his face. "Hi! I'm glad the pills are working."

Walter stares for a long moment. "Daniel?" His voice is tiny, and Dan reaches across Archie without a thought, clasping his hand.

"No, I heard it too."

"Oh, hey Dan!" Archie looks over at him and beams.

He can't help but smile back, even if Walter still looks as though he's going to bolt. "Who are you exactly? I'm sorry, I know I know you somehow, but..." He runs out of steam under his own inanity.

"Oh! Right!" He blushes, sitting up. "I'm sorry. I'm Archie. You didn't come down for so long, I got worried."

"...Why are you human?"

"I don't know!" He flaps his arms slightly. "I know ships don't usually become people, but I have and I think I'm hungry and I hope you believe me."

In the end, after much questioning, they do. He knows too much to be anyone else, and he can still breathe fire. Dan is delighted after the initial shock, Walter infinitely more cautious. But he has read 'The Velveteen Rabbit', and is undeniably touched. There's something they have in common, since they're both only alive because Dan loves them, and when he comes in late one night to find both of them sitting on the kitchen floor as Walter initiates Archie into the mysteries of what is and isn't good to eat, he knows that Archie is here to stay.

Which is part of the problem, because he seems quite settled in their bed. Not really understanding but eager to please, he has tried and tried to sleep in the guest room. But he always has nightmares about being alone again, and wakes up cold and scared. He sits up wide-eyed, seeing as clear as day in the dark but finding no comfort until he tiptoes down the hall to crawl in with them. It’s not that they really mind him. He’s soft to touch and very cuddly and sweet. It’s just...awkward. 

More so than ever when Walter reaches out in a hungry dream and wraps around Archie and moans, tangling their legs and rocking his hips against him. It’s confusing, but it’s not as if he doesn’t like it. Walter is warm and smooth, and makes sweet, soft noises in his throat as he tucks his head under Archie’s chin. He gets the feeling he’s not supposed to, but he just has to wrap his arms around him and rub his back slowly from his tailbone to the nape of his neck and back again, shivering. Erections still feel strange, but Dan has explained about them, and they’re… pleasant, too. He whimpers, and starts to move with him, panting and shuddering. It’s only when Walter mumbles something that sounds like ‘Daniel’ that Archie realizes he should stop.

“Hey, W-walter?” Teeth dig into his shoulder, and he cries out, waking them both. No one moves for a long moment, and then Walter is pulling away, and he’s almost out of bed before Dan grabs him and hauls him back.

“Unfaithful.” He croaks. “Whore, forced self on Archie…”

“Walter—“ They both speak at the same time.

“You were asleep!”

“And you really wanted Dan and I should’ve woken you up sooner but it felt good and I’m sorry—“

Dan puts a gentle finger to Archie’s mouth. “Ssshh. Both of you, it’s okay.” And because Dan says so, Archie knows it will be. They hug Walter from either side, so warm and comforting that even he has to relax.

“Too much like you not to want him, Daniel.” Walter mutters against his chest.

“Yeah, I can see that.” He kisses the top of his tousled head, feeling suddenly and painfully grateful to know what color his hair is, to have him here, and to have anti-psychotic tablets gathering dust in his bedside drawer. His chest tightens, and he feels a ridiculous urge to cry. Archie chirrups softly, and nuzzles Walter’s freckled shoulder.

“Is it okay?” He asks, not sure if whatever was broken has been fixed now or not.

“Y’know, I think it is.” Dan smiles softly. “Walter, what do you think?”

He makes an inarticulate noise against Dan’s shoulder, then turns to look into Archie’s wide, worried eyes. “Yes.”

Archie squirms, happy and suddenly aware that he’s still hard from before. “Can we—“ He blushes, reaching out to Walter. Walter looks at Dan, who smiles softly and nods, and then he wraps his arms around Archie’s neck, resting his forehead against Archie’s as he starts slowly rocking against him again. It feels good. Really good, and he can’t stop making these little bird noises. He doesn’t feel as silly as a normal man would, since he isn’t and is part owl, and those are the noises that he makes, but he’s aware that Dan and Walter don’t chirp. Walter gasps softly as they move, the sound barely audible. He wraps a hand around their cocks and moans softly, and Archie shudders, just doing his best to maintain the rhythm. 

Dan watches for a while, then murmurs in Walter’s ear. Archie can’t hear the words over his pulse, but he can see Walter’s face flush and feel his body relax even more. Dan’s hand is between them, slick fingers were working slowly into Walter, who spreads his legs and presses down and back. When Archie kisses him, Walter moans into his mouth, and suddenly he can hear. The tiny, slick sounds of Dan pushing in and out of Walter, and the way he’s murmuring in his ear. Coaxing and gentle as he eases inside, panting.

“What’s it like?” Archie finds himself whispering, not sure who he’s talking to. Walter just lets out a luxuriant growl that answers better than any words, and Dan moans softly.

“Uh, _good_ ” is about all he can manage. He bites Walter’s shoulder and then kisses Archie, messy and for the first time and completely inevitable. It’s almost lazy, the three of them slowly rocking together until Archie cries out, sounding ecstatic and shocked, pulling Walter after him as if the sound is some expert touch. He bites Archie’s shoulder to muffle a sob as he bucks against him, tightening around Dan and dragging him with them.

Tomorrow they’ll actually have to clean up and talk about this. For tonight, and Dan and Archie are of one mind as they wipe off with the sheet and throw it aside to wrap around Walter, all of them asleep almost before their breathing returns to normal.


End file.
